Travelzoo Experience: Taking a Break in the Austrian Alps

One of the most coveted perks at Travelzoo is the Travelzoo Experience, in which Deal Experts and other employees take advantage of the same travel, entertainment and local deals we publish to our subscribers and report back on their experience.

Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Frankfurt … Kitzbühel? It’s easy to get in the rut of big city jumping when planning a European vacation. And why not! Those major destinations are popular for a reason. But, eyes can glaze over when hitting museum after museum; perspective can be lost after touring 10 straight gorgeous cathedrals; one city center can start to look like another if strung together.

I broke up this city-hopping excursion with a side trip to Kitzbühel, high up in the Austrian Alps. Within minutes of leaving Salzburg on the train, my mindframe changed from focusing on the destination to letting the jaw-dropping scenery roll by without a care for “getting there soon.” Medieval castles turned to open grasslands framed by jutted-high mountains.

When arriving at the Kitzbühel train station, take a taxi to get to the Grand Tirolia resort -- but pay only about 12 Euros for the journey -- my ride was 31 Euros to the resort but only 12 Euros back to the train station. Get the lower price.

When booking your stay here, get a package with dinner included, as this is a destination resort and all meals will be eaten at the Grand Tirolia resort.

There are daily recreational activities such as hiking and biking. Skiing is nearby as well as a championship golf course during the warm months.

Even better than the luxurious accommodations, dinner and outdoor activities was their breakfast. Yes, breakfast. Even if you’re not a breakfast freak like me, it’s still a feast to travel long distances for. Some of the options one morning were locally made organic yogurt with 20 accoutrements such as bee pollen, local vanilla honey and dried apricots; made-to-order eggs; homemade breads and pastries; more than a dozen beverages including sweetened whey. They provide more than enough fuel for a day full of outdoor recreation.

The best deals are for October through mid-November travel, when it’s too cold (or snowy) for golf but not quite prime ski season. This is when I went and I almost had the place to myself and hiked around the foothills and could have skied had I wanted to since new snow had just fallen.